Dalston fatal e-bike crash rider 'going too fast' - Court Case

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
20,451
16,916
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
Looking at the video, if he'd been driving a mini at 20mph and she had walked straight out in the same way, I'd be surprised if there would be a prosecution.
that goes to show the trouble you would be in riding an illegal bike.
 
D

Deleted member 25121

Guest
Looking at the video, if he'd been driving a mini at 20mph and she had walked straight out in the same way, I'd be surprised if there would be a prosecution.
He's alleged to have been moving at 30mph in a 20mph limit. If somebody had killed her driving a mini at 30mph in a 20mph limit I'm sure he would have been prosecuted.
 
D

Deleted member 25121

Guest
The stopping distance of an average car at 20mph is 12 metres. What do we think the stopping distance of an ebike, at 30mph, would be? I mean 30mph is bloody fast for an ebike, I'd grant you.
He's alleged to have been moving at 30mph in a 20mph limit. The stopping distance for an average car at 30mph is 23m, 9m to think and 14m to brake.
I don't know the stopping distance for a heavy ebike but I imagine that its further for the reasons I listed earlier.
 

Andy McNish

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 28, 2018
303
203
He's alleged to have been moving at 30mph in a 20mph limit. If somebody had killed her driving a mini at 30mph in a 20mph limit I'm sure he would have been prosecuted.
Yes I think it's the excess speed (assuming they can prove it) that will be his main difficulty.
That and the fact he's a scroat who rides an illegal ebike and fails to stop when he seriously injures someone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Amoto65

sjpt

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 8, 2018
3,852
2,763
Winchester
Looking at the video, if he'd been driving a mini at 20mph and she had walked straight out in the same way, I'd be surprised if there would be a prosecution.
There would have been if the mini was unregistered, untaxed and uninsured. Especially if he failed to stop at the scene of the accident.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Woosh

Charliefox

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 11, 2015
325
89
80
Culloden Moor Inverness
We will never know the ladies account as she perished due to the fact she was hit at speed.
Likely she may have thought she had time to nip across, saw a bicycle and simply did not comprehend the approaching speed of the bike. Despite you laying the fault at the woman as being in the wrong, she was an innocent victim.
Hanlon hasn't a leg to stand on in this case.
I stand with head bowed then. I was concentrating too much on the fact that this might mean changes to the way that the public and authority saw Ebikes. As others have noted.
 

Fishy

Pedelecer
Nov 16, 2018
157
152
My take on this, is that they were both in the wrong, the pedestrian shouldn't have just stepped into the street without looking, and the cyclist was clearly going too fast in that environment.
When I'm riding my e-bike (fully legal), I adopt the attitude that every other person I encounter WILL do something stupid, if I see someone walking by the side of the road, I expect them to step out, when I see a dog walker, I expect the dog to jump up at me, and so on, so, I always slow down in those situations, to the point where I can stop if necessary.
I don't do this because I'm some sort of whiter than white model citizen, I do it out of self preservation, frankly, I don't want some idiot damaging me or my bike.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: trevor brooker

Michael Price

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2018
277
177
From my watching of the video it seems that the road was clear all round and she had to cross quite a lot of road to get up to him - so he should have seen her before the collision
OK - she was moving quite fast - but he didn't appear to make any attempt to avoid her - I can only assume that he didn't see her until the very last second - literally
Which - IMO - strongly suggests lack of due care and attention on his part - and of course on hers but....
and by 'due care and attention' I am not speaking legally but simply morally when moving around other people - whether on foot or in a vehicle - you need to be aware of what people are doing

I wonder if he had headphone in and was concentrating on music or FaceGram - or something
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
17,001
6,536
he is going down but it wont be for long like 12 months if that imo.
 

Andy McNish

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 28, 2018
303
203
Judging by the video only, he apparently made little or no noticeable attempt to slow down, or change direction!
Maybe he was looking somewhere else.....
Andy
I think she comes out at such an angle to him that he would need to catch her in his peripheral vision to spot her approach.
We'd like to think we'd spot a pedestrian who just stepped off like that (and I once did when in my car for a girl on a bike who launched herself at 90 degrees off a pavement in front of me - I did a perfect emergency drop and got rear ended for my troubles) but I don't think it's realistic to expect it when you are mainly scanning the road and traffic ahead and oncoming.

I think the speed issue is what will do for him. Once you take his speed into account I don't see what much else he could realistically do...
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
17,001
6,536
i cant wait for star ships with dongles :p

any landing you can walk away from is a good one :)
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,982
8,565
61
West Sx RH
he was wrong for leaving the scene of the accident where a dead body laid in the street. He is wrong for blaming her. He's guilty. Hang him.
For legality and the record she was very seriously injured (likely head/brain injury) at the scene and died from those serious injuries the next day in Hospital.
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,982
8,565
61
West Sx RH
I expect during the course of the case, the prosecution would likely raise the question of when or if he saw her and then move on to why he made no attempt to slow down.


All vehicles including bicycles are meant to drive with awareness of other vulnerable road users and that includes pedestrians/animals that may cross the road at any time, this is where the driving without due care and attention will come in.
During driver training for the company 3.5t delivery van I drive, we are assessed for awareness of other users and obstacles etc,etc that may impair our decision when driving. In respect a cyclist is no different as we have seen from a few incidents, they have a care of duty towards other vulnerable users.
 
Last edited:
  • Agree
Reactions: trevor brooker

Michael Price

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2018
277
177
Looking at it again - several times - I still think he should have seen her much earlier - the angles were not all that extreme

TBH I do expect a higher level of observation from cyclists because we are out in the air and often higher up so we can see and hear a lot better than a car driver - and it looks to me like he was distracted

Having said which - there is no way he could have predicted that she would set off like she did

As I said before - 2 people not paying enough attention whose paths crossed at the wrong time and place

sad for the lady's family - and if the guy on the bike has a conscience - probably a day he will regret for the rest of his life
probably from jail for a while
 
  • Agree
Reactions: flecc
D

Deleted member 25121

Guest
If there was a 20mph limit on the road it would have been there for a good reason and any sensible road user would take that into account and be on the lookout for potential dangers from pedestrians, children, pets, whatever.
To proceed along at 30mph, as he allegedly did, in a 20mph limit is just moronic and he needs to be locked up for a long long time so that other morons take note.
Those with illegal ebikes might then start to think about what they're doing.
 
  • :D
  • Agree
Reactions: Artstu and Nealh

Artstu

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 2, 2009
2,420
925
If there was a 20mph limit on the road it would have been there for a good reason and any sensible road user would take that into account and be on the lookout for potential dangers from pedestrians, children, pets, whatever.
To proceed along at 30mph, as he allegedly did, in a 20mph limit is just moronic and he needs to be locked up for a long long time so that other morons take note.
Those with illegal ebikes might then start to think about what they're doing.
Lets lock millions of people up.
The number of car drivers violating the speed limit went up as the speed limit lowered with 86% of journeys observed within 20mph zones above the legal limit.